


Go, Is All She Says

by calmingdown



Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-27
Updated: 2018-08-02
Packaged: 2019-05-25 18:51:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 14,698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14983373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/calmingdown/pseuds/calmingdown
Summary: There’s nothing left in the city for Beca Mitchell or Chloe Beale.Chloe is about to start the most ambitious and trying 4 years of her life. Veterinarian school was never a part of her plan. She never imagined she would get accepted when she dropped her applications in the mailbox on the corner of Court Street in Brooklyn. When she received her acceptance letter, she knew it was time to move on from the Bellas. Life was giving her a chance to explore something new and different, and to let go of the things she held onto for so many years. It was time for her to start a new journey.Beca makes her way to L.A. and finds success just like she always knew she would. Music artists of all calibers want to collaborate with her, but she’s quickly overwhelmed by the popularity and attention. After an uncharacteristic revelation of her feelings to her best friends, they encourage her take an opportunity outside her comfort zone just like she had done when she joined the Barden Bellas years ago. Beca finds incredible and rare inspiration while working with a singer-songwriter in a strange and unexpected place.This is a story about holding onto something and letting go of it at the same time.





	1. Paths

**Author's Note:**

> **The beginning of _Go, Is All She Says_**
> 
> I haven’t written anything in years. The last thing I remember writing was in college, which was many years ago; it was a short prose piece about a wonderful childhood memory I have of my uncle. It so happens that it was also when I decided to not finish my minor in creative writing. I opted to be practical and start my career rather than spend another semester doing something that I did as a hobby. While I gave up writing for years, I don’t have any regrets. I’ve been pretty successful in my career so far and even just finished getting a Master’s. Now that I have the time, here’s where I start this story. 
> 
> I want to be creative again. I want to write a story that is realistic and raw, and about what I’m going through from a creativity standpoint. I want you to find comfort in the familiar characters, but be supportive in how their stories evolve. That being said, I think it’s fair to tell you what this story probably won’t be, so you have a chance to back out if you so desire to. If you’re looking for a lot of dialog and interactions between your favorite characters, this might not be for you. I’m not saying there won’t be any, but it probably will be less than what you could be used to. I’ll be focusing a lot on how Beca and Chloe’s stories separate (hopefully in a not so angsty way, but then again I do love angst).
> 
> My intention is to immerse you into a world that I have imagined for my two favorite characters from the Pitch Perfect movies. While it stays true to what has happened in the movies, I hope Bechloe fans find it satisfying and believable. There will be 10 chapters (that’s the goal anyways). I already know the ending and now it’s just the path to get there, so buckle in kids.
> 
> With all of that out of the way, I really do hope that you find this story intriguing and enjoyable.

 The Barden Bellas sit together wondering what is going to happen next. Gripping their blankets close to their damp bodies, they listen as Chloe encourages them to move on. Chloe was never one to take the leap. After all, she stayed three extra years in college just so she could remain a Bella. If Chloe Beale says it’s time, then it’s time, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy or any less nerve wracking. The girls wrap their blankets even tighter around themselves, basking in the warmth, safety, and comfort of the wool and each other, not completely willing to let go just yet.

 “I got the call that I got into vet school,” Chloe smiles as she says states this. She looks at each girl, but avoids Beca’s gaze. No, she didn’t need to tell her everything right now.  
 “You got in!” Beca can’t decide if she wants to attach a question mark to what she says.  
 “Yes I got in… I know,” Chloe pauses as if disbelieving it herself, “I got in. I’m a vet.”

The girls cheer and congratulate Chloe on her accomplishments, stopping only when Fat Amy announces she’s a multi-millionaire and no one knows how to react.

 The sound of the waves crashing into the wooden pier fill the silence of the boathouse as the girls look at one another with pride. They each have their own paths to explore and adventures to go on, but they all know what this means. Chloe said it her herself, it’s time to move on. Not move on from each other, no. Like the waves, they’ll come ashore to meet again and then recede back to the vastness of the ocean and beautiful unknown. As long as the Earth continues to rotate and the winds create the currents, they’ll always be the Bellas.

* * *

 Chloe looks down at her hands as she rubs one thumb over the other. She walks at a slower pace than the rest of the girls who are making their way towards the hotel lobby. Purposely falling to the back of the group, she stops in the hallway as the girls turn the corner towards the elevators. She glances up briefly and catches Aubrey’s paused stare. The blonde smiles slightly, almost sadly, as she continues following the pack and leaving Chloe in front of Beca’s door. Chole faces the door still rubbing one thumb over the other. She doesn’t know how long she stands there. Staring at the door seems so much more desirable than mustering up the courage to tell Beca everything.

 “This is ridiculous,” she says to herself before promptly knocking on the door.  
 “Yeah,” she hears Beca shout, “come in!”

Beca is pacing the room, her hands on her hips and singing under her breath. As Chloe enters the room, Beca paces even faster and shakes her fingers loose hoping it might help her nerves. Dropping her purse on the bed, Chloe immediately walks towards Beca and grabs both her shoulders.

 “You have to calm down Beca,” she says before pulling her into a hug.

Chloe smiles at the feeling of hugging Beca. It’s such an interesting sensation to almost feel like you’re hugging yourself since the person you’re hugging is not only incredibly petite, but they’re also not totally comfortable with the affection. Sometimes she finds herself wondering if it is a reflection of how she feels about their entire relationship, friendship, or whatever it is. But even after sensing Beca’s hesitation, as soon as she wrapped her small arms around Chloe’s waist, it didn’t matter if Beca felt anything at all at that particular moment. Chloe fell all over again without a single ounce of regret.

 “Maybe I should just stay in here, lock the door, and never show my face again,” Beca looks up at the ceiling trying to find anything to concentrate on but her nerves, until she realizes she’s just standing there, probably awkwardly, in Chloe’s arms. And once she realizes this, she can breathe again and reciprocates the hug.  
 “You and I both know there’s no way you’re doing that,” Chloe breaks the hug and takes hold of Beca’s gaze, “This is it, Beca. This is where it all starts. You already got through the hardest part and you weren’t even trying.”  
 She doesn’t take her eyes off Chloe’s.  
 “I haven’t performed on a stage by myself before. If I fuck up, it’s all on me.”  
 “Um that’s totally not true. You performed by yourself at auditions,” the redhead pauses to think about what she’s going to say next, “As soon as the music starts, you’ll just do what you do because it’s natural for you. You’re insanely talented and it’s about time that the rest of the world sees it.”  
 Beca rolls her eyes as she blushes slightly.  
 “Just remember, I’m the one that discovered you,” Chloe winks at her before turning around and sitting down on the edge of the bed. She interlaces her fingers and begins rubbing one thumb over the other again.  
 Beca scoffs and turns around to check her appearance in the mirror one last time before she has to head down to the car waiting to take her to the arena.  
 “Thanks for coming over to talk some sense into me,” Beca turns to see Chloe staring at her hands, “Chloe?”  
  “Huh? Oh yeah, sure. Anytime. I’m always here,” Chloe snaps out of whatever trance she’s in and stands to leave with Beca. She lets Beca take the lead like she normally does, waiting for her to make the first move towards the door. Just as Beca is about to place her hand on the door knob, Chloe quickly states, “Well, it might not always here physically, like all the time, but you know...”

Beca smirks to herself before turning around to face Chloe. She’s pretty proud of herself having been able to pick up Chloe’s nervous habits over the years. She purposely approached the door slowly to give Chloe a chance to speak her mind.

 "What’s going on Chloe,” Beca raises an eyebrow while trying to hide her smirk.  
 “Well, you know how I got into vet school?” she bites her lip and leaves the distance between them.  
 “Yeah, look… I didn’t mean to sound like I couldn’t believe it. God, why am I’m such a jerk?” Beca looks at anything, but Chloe, “I’m really proud of you Chlo.”  
 “What are you talking about? I know you are. I didn’t believe it either. I must have read my acceptance letter like twenty times,” she shakes her head and lets out a short-lived chuckle.  
 Beca lets out a sigh of relief and motions towards the door.  
 “Wait, Beca, that’s not everything.”  
 “Spill it Chlo. I kinda have to perform in front of hundreds of people in less than two hours,” she says jokingly.  
 Chloe looks at her hands again and Beca’s mind starts racing.  
 “So you remember when we were sitting on the bed at the apartment and you were helping me fill out my application?”  
 “Yeah, it was for that community college in the Bronx or something right?” Beca smiles remembering how stressed Chloe had been and how she calmed her down through the entire process just like Chloe had done for her moments ago.  
 “Yeah that’s right,” Chloe bites her lip a little too hard before continuing, “I didn’t just apply there though.”  
 “Oh? I thought it was the only place you felt comfortable applying to? Like it was a good starting point so you could take some of the easier classes first and get that certificate or whatever before actually going to vet school…” and that’s when she realizes that Chloe was telling her, “Wait… you got into an actual vet school! Oh my god! Dude, that’s freaking awesome!”

Chloe watches Beca and chuckles softly at her reaction. She’s suddenly and surprisingly overwhelmed with happiness from Beca’s excitement. Both girls feel a type of contentment they haven’t felt before; it’s a kind of happiness that they share with each other and no one else, not even the other Bellas. Everything is falling into place like a Hollywood ending.

 “I didn’t think it was going to happen. UGA has such a good vet school. I still can’t believe it.”  
 “UGA?”  
 Chloe begins rubbing one thumb over the other again, “University of Georgia.”  
 “Holy shit!” is all Beca can come up with, “Dude, that’s…. That’s great!”

A familiar tone emits from Beca’s phone and for a few seconds they both ignore it, lost in their own thoughts. Beca looks at her phone and sees Theo’s name followed by a text message to tell Beca the car is waiting for her downstairs. There’s an unfamiliar silence between the girls.

 “I’m really happy for you Chloe.”  
 Beca smiles when she sees Chloe stop rubbing her thumb.  
 “You’re going to Georgia and gonna do great in vet school,” she pauses for a second clearly debating with herself, “And I’m going to L.A. to record my own music...”  
 “Beca! Why didn’t you tell me?! You’re finally going to L.A.! It’s been your dream!”  
 Beca turns the door knob and holds the door open for Chloe.  
 “I was going to tell you guys after the performance.”

With one gulp, Beca swallows the complicated feelings she has, and hopes she doesn’t get caught in a lie. But was it really a lie if Beca always knew she would eventually go to L.A.? Even if Kahled wasn’t in the picture, it was still true; Beca is going to L.A., no matter what. Now she just needed to make sure it was sooner rather than later.

 It was different for Chloe. Unlike Beca, she had no idea where her life was taking her. It was almost like her life controlled her instead of the other way around. The day she realized that she wanted to try becoming a veterinarian was the first time she actually had a plan for herself. And in true Chloe form, she put everything she had into achieving her goal, and she succeeded.

 Chloe smiles at Beca as she picks up her purse from the bed. The girls feel like the world is in their hands; Everything and anything is possible if they are both able to get to this point. As Beca thinks through this in her head, she lets go of whatever reservations she has. Because for the first time, she sees ambition in Chloe’s eyes and a desire for something bigger. There’s a skip in Chloe’s step as she walks out of Beca’s room. This time Chloe Beale is taking the lead.

* * *

 It wasn’t as bad as Beca thought it was going to be. It helped to have the girls by her side for the majority of the performance to make it feel more familiar and comfortable. She isn’t sure if performing is something she wants to continue to do in the future. The studio is where she really sees herself and if she had to admit it, it is honestly where she wants to be. She loves the feeling of twisting the knobs, tapping the buttons, and adjusting the small levers on the controllers and mixers while listening closely at how the music changes around her. It’s such an amazing and satisfying feeling to be able to share with others what she is able to hear and experience.

 Having just finished her performance and openly crying on stage with her best friends, Beca leads them off the stage as the applause slowly fades. This is the perfect send off for all the girls; it’s time for them to pack up their things and face the beautiful reality of their future back home. Once offstage, the Bellas continue hugging each other, crying tears of happiness, and congratulating Beca on her performance. Beca wanted to stay celebrating with them forever, but she knew she had to leave them and meet with Theo to discuss what was going to happen next. She excuses herself and starts making her way towards the side of the stage leading to the audience.

 She didn’t even notice that Chloe had snuck off until she caught sight of red waves in the corner of her eye. It’s like a scene from a movie; a predictable one that reminds her of how much she hates them. Chloe strides towards Chicago and presses her lips hard against his. She wraps her arms around his neck and he pulls her closer in. For a moment it’s more hilarious than heartbreaking; something blows Chloe’s hair to the side revealing how much both of them are enjoying this kiss. Beca stops in her tracks, watching them for a little while before bringing her arms to her chest and hugging herself from the imaginary wind of this late summer night.

 “Hey. You were great,” Theo appears at Beca’s side. While it was the perfect distraction, she couldn’t take her eyes off them until the whole thing became so much more romantic when Chicago dipped Chloe.  
 “Aww,” is all Beca comes up with because isn’t that what everyone wants to see?  
 “Oh, that’s nice,” Theo glances at Beca. Leaning in slightly, he quickly realizes that he doesn’t know her well enough to read her just yet.  
 “So you work for me now,” Beca looks at the floor while changing the subject.  
 “Yeah, you’re the boss.”  
 “That’s cool. Yeah...”  
 “I had some ideas, right?” Theo begins walking towards back stage so they can discuss Beca’s future, wanting himself to get away from the reminder that Chloe and Chicago are happily kissing.  
 “I’m gonna be a real handful, I gotta tell you,” Beca states as she follows Theo.  
 “Oh, I realized that from the beginning.”

Beca decides to use this opportunity to bring up L.A. Seeing Chloe’s future falling into place is all the courage she needs to ask for her dream.

 “L.A.? I thought you live in New York City?”  
 “I do, but I want to go to L.A. It’s where all the opportunities are and isn’t it like the right move to go where the majority of the industry is?”  
 “Right, that’s definitely right. I just didn’t think you wanted to leave New York since it’s closer to the girls.”  
 “I want to do whatever I need to do to make music and if that’s L.A., then I want to go.”  
 “Okay, you got it. The label wants you no matter where you are and they want you to start immediately. How soon do you think you can move to L.A.?”  
 “I don’t know… Like three weeks?”  
 “I’ll talk to label and see if we can work that out. We might not be able to give you the full three weeks, but you’ll get something.”  
 “Awesome, thanks. Hey, look, I know you wanted to talk about some ideas you have, but do you think we can talk later? If L.A. is going to happen, I kinda want to spend all the time I have between now and three weeks from now with my family.”  
 Theo nods, “Sure, no problem. We’ll talk later Beca.”

Without giving herself time to second guess her decision, Beca turns on her heels and heads back to where the Bellas are still happily enjoying each other’s company. As she approaches the girls, she notices Chloe in the middle of the group.

 At this point, it doesn’t matter to Beca what Chloe is grinning about. There’s a twinkle in Chloe’s eyes that she’s never seen before. She thought over the years that she would have seen every side of Chloe Beale, but this is something new and it’s new in a really good way. It completely overwhelms her to see how thrilled and ecstatic Chloe is for her future. It’s enough, more than enough, to make Beca solidify her decision to move to L.A. and chase her dreams.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  I wanted to use this chapter to show you how I felt about the ending of Pitch Perfect 3 from a Beca and Chloe perspective. If this is really the last movie and the last time we are going to see these characters, I don’t feel like I got enough closure. I’m not surprised that they didn’t make Bechloe end game, but I at least wanted to be able to feel like I could say goodbye to these characters and be able to imagine where they would go in the future. Maybe it was enough for some people, but I personally didn’t get the closure I needed so hopefully I filled in the blanks well enough. 
> 
>  There are about three chapters, including this one, where you will get the most direct interactions between Chloe and Beca. I plan to make one of those include more of the Bellas, but we’ll see. Sometimes I find it difficult to do these types of chapters because I worry so much about not accurately representing the characters. As the author I know I can shape the story in any way I want, but I still want it to be something believable and imaginable in my brain and also in yours; they’re your favorite characters too. 
> 
>  Something that I hope readers pay attention to is the timeline of each chapter. In this particular chapter, it was literally one sentence which probably isn’t enough. I need to get better at this so that I can make sure you can follow the time that passes. This story spans slightly more than a year. 
> 
>  I hope this chapter wasn’t too angsty… I feel like that would have been a bad way to start. I only wanted to sprinkle a little bit of angst here and there because if this was the end of Pitch Perfect 3, I really wanted this chapter to end on a hopeful note. I hope you got a sense of adventure and excitement to see where the story will go next, but overall, I hope it provides closure to some of you like it does for me. 
> 
>  I welcome any form of criticism; it’s how I become a better writer. Like I mentioned in my note when I first started this story, I haven’t written in a LONG time so I’m sure it’s a mess. I tried my best to at least make it a cohesive mess. 


	2. Separate

 Sometimes being short sucks. That’s all Beca can think about as she leads Chloe and Fat Amy up the narrow staircase of their apartment building. Their suitcases barely fit between the walls holding the stairs together. You would think that after spending months in Europe, the girls would be used to navigating slim hallways and tight spaces, but this is a rather rude reminder that they live in a terribly tiny apartment.

 The girls decide collectively that they are only going to make one trip up the long staircase which is how Beca ends up in the position she is in and cursing under her breath. One by one or sometimes two by two, Beca would lift her own suitcase up the steps all while maintaining her grip on the top of Chloe’s. Chloe lifts the bottom of her suitcase just slightly below her shoulders so that Beca doesn’t have to struggle so hard or bend down so low. She told Beca that she didn’t have to help her, but Beca insisted. Fat Amy’s new personal assistant, and probably new secret, but not so secret beau, carries her bag effortlessly behind Chloe while Fat Amy takes a bite of her ice cream bar.

 Finally, after what seems like forever, Beca’s feet reach the third floor and the excitement of being back home makes her forget all about the miserable staircase. The group walks purposefully towards the end of the off-white hallway where the door to their apartment stood stubbornly and unchanged. Beca turns the key, walks in, and immediately plops onto the sofa bed with her legs hanging off the end. Chloe watches Beca sheepishly while moving both their suitcases to the side and doing the same. Fat Amy strides in and immediately starts directing Derrick towards the portrait of Fat Amy Winehouse where they begin orchestrating how to move her things out.

 She pauses and looks at Beca and Chloe smiling and giggling at each other. She’s used to this feeling; the feeling of being left out of Beca and Chloe’s intimate conversations. She knows that they don’t do it intentionally, and it’s not necessarily a bad thing. When she first moved into the apartment, she couldn’t help but feel like she was intruding upon something private and deep between Beca and Chloe. Regardless they made room for her and her crazy antics because they’re family after all. That’s why when she found out she had millions of dollars at her disposal, she knew she wanted to move out of the apartment immediately. It wasn’t just because she deserves better than this sad excuse for a studio, but it was also to give her best friends the space they needed to part ways.

 “It feels soooo good to be back home,” Beca closes her eyes, “Who would've thought we’d miss this shitty apartment.”  
 “Beca!” Chloe playfully, but gently nudges Beca at her side, causing her to squirm. “Don’t say that. It’s home.”

She’s right. It is home and nothing feels better than laying together on their crappy sofa bed after months of traveling. Not even the layer of dust that’s built up over the past few months or the stale smell of the drywall could ruin this homecoming. While they made some unforgettable memories during their trip abroad, the girls were more than ready to come home despite the nerves they felt about starting the rest of the their lives.

 “Ames, can you just like stop for a minute and not remind us that we should be packing too?”  
 “Beca, I’ve got a penthouse waiting for me in Sydney.”  
 “What? You don’t love that we eat, shit, and sleep in the same room?”  
 “I don’t care what you guys say. I love this place,” Chloe states as-a-matter-of-factly.  
 Both Beca and Fat Amy glare narrowly at Chloe.  
 “Come on Chloe. There’s no way anyone can love this place,” Beca studies Chloe’s profile, admiring her jawline as Chloe continues to smile happily at being home.  
 Fat Amy rolls her eyes and then proceeds to tell Derrick to throw “this” in a box and then “that” in the trash.  
 “Do you guys think Grocers is open?” Chloe says after a few minutes pass.  
 “MACHO WOMAN?!” Fat Amy is already at the door.  
 “Um fuck yes.”

The girls squeal with excitement, tripping over each other as they head out of their physically shitty, but emotionally perfect apartment.

* * *

 It’s been almost two weeks since the girls arrived back from the USO tour. Fat Amy moved out in less than three days; she didn’t have that many belongings in the apartment due to the lack of space. This whole crashing with Beca and Chloe thing was always temporary anyways, at least until Fat Amy Winehouse took over the world. When she first arrived at the apartment, she was at her lowest of lows. Everything she tried to do wasn’t panning out and she felt like an absolute failure. Despite never revealing her insecurities to Beca and Chloe, she knew they understood what she was going through, especially when they never once questioned when she would be leaving. So when the day she finally moved out came, she slid a sunshine-yellow envelope containing a check for the past few months of rent underneath the jar of stale biscuits on the kitchen table. Now that she was a millionaire, it was the least she could do for her best friends that saved her from the humility of admitting she was completely lost.

 The apartment is a lot quieter without Fat Amy. While Beca and Chloe love their fellow Bella, it’s nice to finally have the place back to themselves even if it’s just for a little while. Both girls spent their days preparing for their respective moves; Beca across the country where her new job as a music producer is waiting for her and Chloe back to Georgia where she would soon find herself in classes. It’s slightly easier for Beca since she can’t really bring too much with her to L.A.; she had to say goodbye to a lot of things that she never knew why she kept to begin with. She shipped the majority of her clothes and shoes, and packed her record collection in boxes with at least three layers of bubble wrap around them. Although she would be working in studios with way better equipment, Beca couldn’t bring herself to leave behind her first and only set of DJ gear that to this day, fuels her assurance that mixing is what she’s meant to do. She would carry it with her because nothing else is more important than holding onto the thing that drives you.

 Chloe had been struggling these past couple of weeks. Being more of the sentimental type, she found it difficult to throw things away that triggered memories of her time in New York. Like the stupid, homeless book she tripped over one night after Beca had taken her to Milk Bar, and they blissfully shared a cup of soft serve ice cream that tasted just like the milk leftover from a bowl of Cap’n Crunch. She never once read the book. Rather than flying, Chloe decided she was going to rent a car and drive to Georgia, especially if it meant she could keep more of what she treasured.

 They sold all their furniture on Craigslist, leaving only the sofa bed remaining. They patched the walls that used to hold beautiful posters they bought at New York street markets, pictures of friends and family they’ve collected over the years, and the banner the Bellas won during their time as Champions. They painted their colorful walls to a dull taupe color that their landlord picked out. Most of Beca’s stuff is already gone and Chloe’s boxes are shoved in the corner where Beca’s bed used to be. By now, their apartment looks much bigger than how they felt living in it. Tonight is the last night they are spending in the apartment; tomorrow they will close the chapter of their lives in New York and start the next.

 “This feels weird,” Beca says tracing the edge of the kitchen counter.  
 “Yeah I know,” Chloe knows she can’t mask her feelings as well as Beca can as she looks around the apartment with her hands on her hips.  
 “I can’t believe I’m leaving tomorrow morning.”  
 “Same.”  
 “What if I completely bomb in L.A.? What if I spent my whole life trying to be something that I can’t be? What if I mess everything up and it turns out I’m actually terrible at producing music?”  
 “You won’t.”  
 “How do you know?”  
 “Because I just do.”  
 “My whole life is riding on this, Chloe. Like if I fail, I’m going to look like that complete jackass who used to walk around knowing who she was and wanted to be only to find out that she sucks at it.”  
 “At least you have that! You know what you want to do.”  
 “And that’s better?”  
 “I don’t even know if I will like being a vet and I’m going to spend the next four years trying to just,” Chloe pauses, “figure it out.”  
 “Are we seriously fighting right now?” Beca chuckles to herself. The pair always fought when they were stressed.  
 “Look Beca. I’m worried about vet school just as much as you are about your job. Can we just not talk about it right now? It’s our last night together for who knows how long and I don’t want to spend it arguing about who is more scared to leave.”  
 “You’re right. I’m just panicking a little. It makes me feel better that I’m not the only one though.” Beca shifts her weight, “Sorry Chlo.”

Chloe shrugs before sitting down on the edge of the sofa bed, picking up a stack of what looks like worn book pages, and flipping through them.

Beca doesn’t recognize the box, “Whatcha lookin at?”  
 “All the pictures we had up in our apartment. I didn’t realize how many we put up.”  
 Beca moves closer towards the box and sees some familiar frames stacked sideways against each other.  
 “Yeah, same. I mean I remember it being a pain in the ass taking them down.”  
 “I guess we were just distracted with fixing and painting the walls before we move out,” Chloe continues to flip through the pictures while maintaining a soft smile on her face.  
 Beca picks up a few of the frames and starts looking through them.  
 “Holy shit. I totally forgot we had this,” Beca holds up a frame with a grey wooden grain. The picture is of the Bellas surrounding their first ICCA championship trophy.  
 “Now this is just adorable,“ she lifts a golden frame with a group selfie of the Bellas in their living room on one of their movie nights.  
 Chloe continues to amuse Beca as if she doesn’t already know exactly what picture is in each frame.  
“When the fuck did we get this?” It’s a pink frame protecting a picture of baby Bella. “I’m dying.”  
 “Oh my god,” she almost drops the frame from bursting with laughter. She passes it to Chloe who equally laughs as hard when she sees the picture of the Bellas dressed as one another on Halloween. The memory came flooding back like it happened yesterday; each girl picked the name of another Bella out of a hat and became their best friend for a night. It was, hands down, one of their best nights as Bellas.

Clearly enjoying the blast from the past, Beca continues to flip through each frame. Each picture reminds her of how much she has changed and how the Bellas made her into someone so much better than she once was. Chloe keeps an eye on Beca as these thoughts run through her mind.  
 “You can take them Beca.”  
 “What?” shaking her head to snap herself out of a trance and to also say no.  
 “They’re just as much yours as they are mine.”  
 She chuckles, “How?”  
 “I mean it’s a part of OUR apartment. We share.”  
 “No, Chloe. They’re yours. You decorated this whole place.”  
 “I want you to have them. I can always print more and put them up in my new place when I get there. Plus, you and I both know that you won’t ever do it. So if you take these, at least you have some pictures to put around your apartment.”  
 Beca knows Chloe is right and nods before focusing back on a picture of the two of them enjoying the beginning of Spring at High Line Park.

They couldn’t avoid the conversation forever; they both know it’s inevitable, but neither of them want to bring it up if it meant avoiding saying goodbye. Eventually they had to wish each other luck on their new adventures and go their separate ways.

 “I’m going to miss you Chloe,” she keeps her focus on the picture.  
 “I’m going to miss you too Beca,” Beca can feel Chloe’s eyes on her, “You’re going to do great in L.A. and even if it might not turn out, and I’m not saying it won’t, the way you want, at least you went for it. No matter what, you aren’t going to be the girl that didn’t follow her dreams.”  
 “What am I going to do without you?” Now Beca’s eyes are on Chloe.  
 “Oh you’ll be fine,” Chloe for some reason can’t hold Beca’s gaze. The threat of tears causes her to turn away. She wasn’t going to let Beca feel an ounce of guilt for leaving.  
 “I don’t know man… this whole being an adult isn’t really my thing.”  
 “Is it really anyone’s thing?”  
 “I guess not.”  
 The girls stare at each other for a moment, unsure of what to do next.  
 “We should probably go to bed. Don’t you have to get up at like two AM or something?” Chloe turns around and starts looking for her pajamas.  
 “Uh yeah. Yeah, we should probably sleep.”

The girls get ready for bed and tuck themselves in on the sofa bed. They stare blankly at the ceiling for a moment and it feels unreasonably lonely. Beca turns onto her side and nudges Chloe to do the same. The girls face each other and before their eyes can adjust to the darkness, Beca reaches out for Chloe’s hand to comfort her from fears of tomorrow.

 “Thanks Chlo.”  
 “For what?”  
 “Everything.”

Neither of them knows who fell asleep first.

 The next morning, Beca reluctantly opens her eyes, but quickly softens at the sight of Chloe facing her, sleeping peacefully. One hand is open beside her face and the other is in a loose fist between her chin and chest as if holding onto a necklace she loves. Slowly, Beca pulls the covers off her body, careful not to let the warmth escape Chloe. She doesn’t immediately get up from the bed. She gives herself a few minutes to watch Chloe dream of endless possibilities. She’s incredibly proud of how far Chloe has come and especially of where she is going. Sometimes Beca wishes she had the courage to tell that to her face, but for some reason she can’t put her finger on, she keeps it to herself. Eventually she quietly rises, requests for an Uber, and gets ready to leave for L.A. When the Uber arrives downstairs, Beca takes one last glance at Chloe before leaving the apartment, carrying nothing but her most prized possessions; her music equipment and the Barden Bellas.

 When Chloe wakes up five hours later, she’s alone.

* * *

 It’s beautiful. The leaves are beginning to fade to shades of yellow and orange. The air becomes slightly crisper and less sticky, but it’s still on the hotter end of warm. Her arm is slightly out the window as she cruises along the highway in a Ford Fusion packed with everything she owns. The drive from Brooklyn to her new apartment in Georgia will be long, almost thirteen hours excluding stops. She plans to stop somewhere between Virginia and North Carolina to rest, but not for too long. She just needs to get there, to start the next phase of her life. She can’t give herself time to hesitate or think about other paths she could have taken. Having that many hours in a car by herself, alone with her thoughts, is bad enough. At least she knows that if she stays on the road, she’s confident she will continue on the path she has chosen.

 Letting go of Beca was something she forced upon herself, but it was her choice. It was something she had to do in order to move on and have the confidence to confirm her acceptance to vet school. When she made the decision months ago, she cried and comforted herself for an entire day in her hotel room while the rest of the Bellas wandered the streets of Paris, drinking wine from Bordeaux and enjoying sweets from various patisseries. The memory causes Chloe to grip tighter on the steering wheel.

 In the same way that she stayed an extra three years at college, Chloe would have happily followed Beca wherever her career took her. When Beca first found out she got the job to be a music producer at BFD, she told Chloe first. New York wasn’t even mentioned until a week after when Beca uncharacteristically asked her to go to the park with her, saying she needed “a change of scenery” to work on a new mix. As Chloe pulled out a large pale pink blanket to lay on the grass, Beca dropped her bag and just blurted it out, “I’m moving to New York.” She remembers kneeling down on the blanket and doing her best to hide her face from the brunette. Beca was forcing Chloe to let her go when she wasn’t ready to. Just as her chest began to get tight and the blanket scrunched in her fists, Beca says quietly, “I want you to come with me. You know…” she pauses and looks at her hands, “if you want to. I can’t do this on my own.”

 And maybe that’s when Chloe decided that Beca was the path she was going to take for a while. She let Beca’s dream guide her through the next three years of her life. It’s not as pathetic as it sounds; Chloe is the giving type of person, and what’s so bad about loving someone so much that you’d put their dreams before everything else? It wasn’t Beca’s fault; Chloe didn’t blame her for not loving her “in that way” back or recognizing that the only reason she agreed to go was because she loved her. Chloe doesn’t see it as time wasted; it’s far from it. If it weren’t for Beca asking her to move to New York, she would have never discovered her passion for veterinary medicine and be where she is right now, coasting along 95-South.

 In order to really let Beca go, Chloe knows that going to Georgia is what she needs to do. Maybe this is what they both need. Time apart to change and grow on their own. Become stronger independently so that they didn’t depend so much on each other. Maybe separation can be a good thing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  If you’re ever in Brooklyn, go to _Court Street Grocers_. It’s delicious. The macho man/woman sandwich is a real thing. Also, _Milk Bar_ is a real thing and the cereal milk soft serve is on-freaking-point. Fun fact, I actually don’t really like New York City (sorry New Yorkers), but I can greatly appreciate its uniqueness and character. I’ve been there multiple times in my life and enjoy occasional weekend trips for food quests. The crowds just… exhaust me. 
> 
>  Back to the story... I swear I didn’t mean to make this chapter as long as it is, but I wanted to make sure I gave you enough interaction between Beca and Chloe before I separate them for a few chapters. The amount of angst in this chapter is almost too much, but I feel like it’s necessary. I mean come on… It’s sad! Beca and Chloe are parting ways; it’s terrifying and just plain depressing regardless of the reasons behind it. 
> 
>  This chapter was a little scary for me to write. In part because of the angst, but also because I’m stepping further and further away from the Pitch Perfect storyline and that kind of frightens me. Now I am bringing you into the world I imagine for Beca and Chloe which may or may not be something you’re interested in. I hope you are, but I know I might lose some of you. I guess that’s a part of the writing process though. I guess I just need to learn to trust my storytelling skills.  
> 


	3. Sometimes

 As she steps out of the elevator, the nerves begin to overtake her. It’s excitement and also fear because whether she liked it or not, she’s going to be living here for at least a year. She didn’t really have the time to be picky as long as it’s affordable for the decent salary she would be making. She doesn’t know why she’s so worried after living in a barely-livable apartment for years in New York City. The main difference between now and then is that she’s going to be living here alone and without anyone she knows. One of the biggest downsides to becoming a Bella is that Beca came to depend on human companionship; she got used to always having someone at her side.

 She checks the text message that Theo’s assistant, sent to her. 713. Beca’s new home. She walks down the hallway looking from side to side to find her door. Her suitcase easily glides along the charcoal carpet despite being crushed by her music equipment and the box of picture frames that Chloe gave to her. Taking in the sights of her new apartment building, she’s without-a-doubt, definitely in L.A. The hallway walls are shaped by crown moulding and almost perfectly white; so white that it wouldn’t surprise her if the walls were painted on a monthly basis. There are potted plants and fancy glass chandeliers illuminating every corner she turns.

 Eventually she finds her door. 713. She braces herself for disappointment because that’s just easier. She unlocks the door and pushes it open. “Oh my god,” Beca says, laughing to herself. It’s breathtaking. The Santa Monica skyline and sun disappearing behind the ocean horizon is the first thing she sees thanks to the large floor-to-ceiling windows at the far end of the apartment. She steps in and the white kitchen is immediately to her left. She takes the box of pictures and gently places them on the large island in the middle of her kitchen.

 The floors are made of pine wood and while it’s glossed, it doesn’t look like it at all. The color of the apartment reminds her of a nearly dried sidewalk after a summer thunderstorm. The kitchen gracefully flows into the main living area and Beca walks across the room to look out the windows. She could definitely get used to this view. Smiling, she turns around to explore the bedroom to her right. As she walks out of the bedroom she finally notices the large dark brown barn door diagonally across from the kitchen. At first it’s intimidating since the rest of the apartment is bright and inviting and this door is just standing there strong-willed and arms crossed. Beca approaches the door slowly and slides it open.

 She’s not prepared for this at all. The walls are a dark blue; the kind of dark blue that almost looks black. It resembles a part of the ocean that is mysterious and massive, and where there’s no land in sight. There’s a large, deep wooden desk against the far wall; it’s edge is hugging the same type of floor-to-ceiling windows that’s in the living room. Against the wall that separates this room from the living room is a light gray loveseat with two white pillows. In the corner of the room opposite from the windows is what looks like a small closet. When Beca opens the door, her jaw drops. It’s not a closet, it’s a vocal booth. She goes into the small room and spins around in a circle, digesting the beauty of it. There’s a small window that allows her to spot a tented card on her new mixing desk.

“A welcome gift from the label.”

 Despite the walls she builds around herself, she wonders how effective they are. It’s like she constantly has to repair it if she wants to maintain her ability to keep people at arm’s length and remain independent and private. But sometimes it seems like people know her better than she knows herself. Despite years of practice pushing people away, she must have begun to let her guard down. Is she really an open book? Is she really that predictable? For the first time in her life, as she traces the edge of the desk with her finger tips, Beca realizes she doesn’t even care what the answers are. This is it; this is the start of everything she ever wants, and if it meant she has to let her walls fall apart, then so be it.

* * *

 There’s nothing worse than starting a new job and being the new kid on the block. The past few weeks have been boring, uneventful, and typical. It consisted of many introductions and small talk which Beca not only hates, but is also terrible at. When she wasn’t attempting to schmooze with other producers and musicians, she spent her time tucked away in her office or one of the smaller studios down the hall, listening to demos of upcoming artists and hoping to find the one.

 “Be patient,” is what Theo keeps telling her. In all honesty, she didn’t really know what to expect from a job at a bigger and mainstream label. She thought there would be more opportunities to meet and work with more established and mature artists than the ones she dealt with during her time at BFD. Unfortunately, the truth is that there ARE more opportunities, but the artists choose their producers at the end of the day. It’s not even something that Beca can be angry about because if she put herself in their shoes, she would also be highly selective of the people meant to help you achieve your musical vision and potentially, your next number one hit.

 Beca knows she needs to make a name for herself, but like all other jobs, getting her foot in the door is like moving heaven and earth. Sometimes no matter how good you are or how hard you try, sometimes you just won’t get picked. It’s what she struggles with the most; she takes it personally and it causes her to lose faith in her abilities. Confidence is not something she has. Most of the time she gets it from others who are willing to lend her some or who can calm her down and soothe away her doubts. She misses the Bellas more than she lets herself or anyone believe. When she gets lonely, she gets irrationally angry and locks herself in her studio for hours at a time. She thinks that hiding in the studio would allow her to forget about her loneliness, but it doesn’t. Instead, she finds herself tapping to the metre of the songs she listens to while staring at the picture frames that Chloe gave her when she left New York City. When she emerges from the behind the barn door, she feels immensely better, but she’s not entirely sure how or why. She knows that asking those types of questions will force her to admit things she isn’t ready to.

 Despite using her studio as a safe haven to battle loneliness, she loves every minute she spends in it. Having her own personal space to make music helps keep her focus on work and her craft. On most nights, Beca walks in her door around 7 PM, makes herself some variation of pasta, spends an hour with Detective Benson and her squad, showers, and then spends the rest of the night in studio before retiring to bed sometime after midnight. It’s a routine that’s familiar and that she’s comfortable with; like riding a bike.

 The one good thing about this waiting game is that Beca has the time to explore different types of music. Being a music producer means that she might have to step outside her comfort zone of hip-hop, EDM, and, while she doesn't like to admit it, pop. In order to be unique in the music industry, she has to learn to appreciate the sounds of other genres and embrace the various melodies and rhythms that come with them. Despite not having been the main producer on a particular song yet, she has still learned a lot these past few weeks from other producers at the label. Most are willing to introduce her to the advanced equipment in the studios, but only a few would mentor her about how to work with musicians and the politics that come with it. Despite her inconceivable ability to pick up some of the most complex processes in recording and mixing music, Beca knows that the one thing that could hold her back is her inability to read and connect with others. Immediately after she stormed out of the room where Pimp-Lo was too busy humping the air to care, she felt herself sinking into the ground. Was this what producing music was going to be like? Was it always going to be a battle between the producer and the musician with the musician having the unfair advantage of being the “boss”? Would her ineptitude to make personal connections going to be the downfall of her career?

* * *

  There’s a slight chill in the air, but the sun high up in the cloudless sky is enough to keep everyone warm on their morning commute. As she walks out of her apartment building, Beca slips her wireless Beats Studio3 headphones over her ears and shuts out the commotion of everyone’s morning routine. Another great thing about her apartment in L.A. is how close it is to the label’s offices; it’s a short fifteen minute walk. Living in New York City forced her to get used to walking everywhere since she absolutely hated how claustrophobic the subway made her feel. What’s even more surprising is that she came to enjoy the physical activity and the breath of fresh air. The walk to work gives her almost the same effects of coffee; it helps wake her up and prepare her for the day.

  When she arrives at work, she gets in the elevator and heads up to the third floor where her office is. Her office is smaller than her college dorm room. It has just enough space for her desk and two chairs for nonexistent clients. She takes her MacBook Pro out of her bag, places it on her desk, and immediately picks up where she left off on listening to a new demo that Theo sent her yesterday afternoon.

 “Beca, there you are,” Theo barges into her office while sipping on a coffee cup filled with earl grey tea.  
 “Hey, yeah sorry. I just got in,” Beca says taking off her black blazer and hanging it on the back of her chair before sitting down in it.  
 “Great, you got the demo. So what do you think?”  
  “It’s not bad, but I think the rhythm could use some work. The melody is nice, but I don’t know… something about the rhythm isn’t working with it. I’ve been listening to it over and over again since you sent it yesterday. I think I need to mess with it in the studio today and see what happens.”  
  “Yeah alright. Mind if I stop in and have a listen?”  
  “Sure, if you want. I’m not promising anything though.”  
  “Of course not. I just want to hear what you’re hearing,” Theo takes another sip of his tea while backing out of her office. He pauses, “Oh and do you mind using the studio on the fourth floor by my office? I have back to back meetings today, but I definitely want to listen to what you come up with.”  
  “I’ll check if it’s open.”  
 “Great. I’ll stop by around one or two,” he says before leaving Beca to her emails.

After a few minutes of reading through emails, Beca grabs her Macbook and ventures to the fourth floor to find the studio Theo mentioned. When she finds the entrance and opens the door, it’s completely dark except for the small glowing dots on the equipment. Using her free hand, she searches for the light switch on the wall and when she finally turns the lights on, she can’t contain the smile forming on her lips. It’s a massive studio compared to the ones she’s used to working in that are closer to her office. She should have expected this though with all the executive producers on this floor.

  She sets her laptop down on a small desk next to the incredible control table. The studio stereotypically looks like the kind of studio in movies. The control table and mixing equipment take up the majority of the room and a large black leather couch hugs the opposite wall. The part of the wall that isn’t blocked by the couch is nearly covered entirely by an enormous framed mirror. Beca dims the lights slightly before sitting down in one of the ergonomic chairs tucked into the main console table. She looks up into an empty live room and turns off the lights illuminating it. After plugging in her laptop into an open audio interface and switching the output to the speakers in the room, she sits back in the comfortable chair and lets the music consume her.

  Hours easily pass by when Beca is working on music. She actually really liked the demo that Theo passed along to her. The song has a piano instrumental that makes it seem sadder than it actually is and the singer is clearly talented. She can hit both high and low notes at ease. Her voice is soft, but has an edge to it that she brings out in the chorus. Beca speeds up the tempo of the song and mixes in various sounds using the pad and keyboard controllers.

  She’s so focused on the music that she doesn’t hear the door open. Theo waves his hand in front of her and she almost falls off her chair.

  “Jesus christ dude,”  Beca adjusts back onto the seat and pauses the song.

  “I told you I was going to come,” Theo says leaning against the door he just came through.  
  “Yeah well you know what happens when I’m mixing...”  
  As her heartbeat evens itself, she turns around in her chair to face him.  
  “So how’s it going? Was that the demo I gave you?”  
  “Uh yeah…”  
  “Really? Can you play it?”  
  “Uh sure. It’s not done yet though so just calm down. You didn’t hire someone completely useless.”  
  “I’m calm. You’re the one freaking out.”

  Beca turns back around with on hand on her laptop and the other on the console table. She plays the song and turns the volume knob louder. She doesn’t dare look at Theo for fear that this song could be proof that she’s not meant to be a music producer. About forty-five seconds into the song, it’s like Theo never interrupted her and she hears something that doesn’t seem right and backtracks the song. She resumes the song and then backtracks again; she does this four or five times before she realizes that what she needs is a change in how the song is being sung at this particular spot. She starts to sing the lyrics in a different melody while fading the bass slightly. She does this at least ten times with slight variations until she’s finally satisfied.

  Beca doesn’t realize when Theo steps out of the studio and enters the room adjacent to it. All seven occupants are staring at Beca through a glass window the same size as the mirror in the studio. Some of them have blank stares of awe, some have smiles, and some are swaying their head to the music. They hear everything that Beca hears.

  “So, what do you think?” He says with a smirk on his face.  
  “What’s her name?” A woman with dirty blonde hair says softly with her finger rubbing her bottom lip gently.  
  “Beca. She’s new to the label.”  
  “She’s perfect.”  
  “Would you like to meet her?” Theo holds his arm out towards the door.  
  “Definitely,” she turns towards the door and excitement is plastered all over on her face.

 Sometimes you just need to trust your instincts. Beca has known deep down as long as she can remember that making music is what she’s meant to do. When Theo comes back into the studio and introduces Beca to the singer of the demo, it’s just the confidence boost she needs. Finally, she is given the chance to show her true potential and there’s no way she is going to let this fail. For the next week, she spends countless hours in the studio with the artist and puts all her energy into perfecting the song. Two months later, Beca and Theo are in his office listening to the song play on 102.7 KIIS FM for the first time. Little did they know, it would be the first of many number-one hits produced by Beca Mitchell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  This chapter was difficult to write for two reasons. First, I have no idea what it means to be a music producer so that was interesting to research and kind of also make up. Hopefully it was believable and I apologize to all the musicians out there for any mistakes that I might have made. The second reason is that it’s the first time Beca and Chloe’s relationship isn’t a part of the story. I know some of you might even find it boring for that reason, but I think it’s necessary and an important part of Beca’s journey. I hope you can feel how happy she is doing what she loves and most importantly, I hope you are happy for her despite Chloe not being directly a part of that happiness. 
> 
>  It’s such a rare thing to know what you’re good at and being able to embrace it. Some people spend the majority of their lives trying to figure it out (kind of like Chloe). While there’s always going to be moments of self-doubt and setbacks, somewhere in the back of your mind at some level you know it’s going to be fine because well, you’re good at it! As I’ve mentioned in my first author’s note, I’m a lot like Beca in this sense. When I graduated college, I knew I was good at something and I enjoyed doing it for the most part; it’s what I majored in and what I currently do as my day job. Depending on your own experiences, you might even think people like me have it easy, but let me tell you, we’ve got our own hurdles to overcome. And that’s where Beca’s story is going next.


	4. For Good Reasons

 Chloe thought going back to school would be more difficult than it has been so far. Even after being three years out of school, she didn’t find adjusting back to school rhythms hard at all. Sure she had to learn the quickest way to get from one end of the campus to the other, remember to go to classes, study and do assignments, but it felt natural to her for some reason. She enjoys being on a campus again and surrounded by people just like her, who are simply trying to discover who they want to be. Everyone is equally vulnerable and open to change and opportunity, and ready to make themselves better, whatever that may mean.

 Obviously it isn’t the same case on the academic front; her course load is on a whole other scale than what she tackled during her time at Barden University. Ever since she set foot on campus for the first time, she has felt left behind from people she didn’t know and who didn’t know her. To overcompensate for the lack of skill and knowledge that her fellow classmates seem to have, Chloe spent the majority of her time studying and playing catch up rather than going out to happy hour or trivia night with new friends. She’s never been the type of person to spend her days and nights studying, but she wants so badly to succeed and prove, mostly to herself, that she could do anything she wants. 

 She’s put all her energy into school. When she’s not in classes or studying, she’s going on a run around campus to relieve some stress or working part time at the admissions office filing and organizing the hopes of prospective University of Georgia students. Being further south means that she has more time left to enjoy the warmth of summer so she takes every opportunity to pick a spot along Brooks Mall where she can unload her bag full of books she never thought she’d ever read. _Physiology_. _Veterinary Anatomy and Embryology _. _Animal Nutrition_. __

____

 The hardest part about coming back to school is worrying that she might never leave. It still haunts her; how she failed on purpose just because she was afraid of change. When you’re starting something new, change is inevitable; it’s everywhere, stalking you, waiting for the right moment to strike you when you show the slightest moment of doubt. It wouldn’t be totally out of character for Chloe to destroy her own ambition. Doing well in vet school meant that she would eventually have to take the board certification exam, pass it, then do a residency, and then somewhere along the way become an actual veterinarian. Just thinking about it made her breathe a little faster and regress to her annoying habit of tapping her blue pen against the edge of her open textbook where there are still too many unread pages. 

 She held on for dear life to the Bellas because it was easy and she knew they would always be there for her even at her weakest. And, of course, they still are, but in a different way that isn’t exactly what she needs anymore. She often finds herself texting them in their group chat; telling them how weird it feels to not have them around and they, including Chloe, would all agree that it’s probably better that way. The last thing they want to do is distract her from her goals. Chloe finds herself panicking; maybe this whole becoming a vet thing is a bad idea. She can’t bring herself to tell them how she feels because she’s supposed to be the strong one, the positive one, the one with faith that everything will be okay. 

 She drops her pen on her textbook and picks up her phone. She scrolls through her contacts alphabetically by first name, and doesn’t have to continue much further to spot Chicago Walp. Ever since she said goodbye to him in Nice, they’ve kept in touch as much as their schedules would allow. Being in different time zones makes it difficult, but they’ve both shown commitment in remaining whatever they are. She sends him a text message, “I’m freaking out a little”. She doesn’t expect to get a response immediately. Typically their conversations last an entire twenty-four hours when it should really be done in ten to fifteen minutes for any other normal circumstance. Less than five minutes later he responds, “Can I call you?” She’s totally caught off guard, but extremely relieved that he’s available to vent to. 

 “Hey Chloe.”  
 “Hey,” she smiles to herself when she hears his calm and neutral voice.  
 “This is kind of weird.”  
 “Yeah I know. We never get to talk on the phone.”  
 “It’s nice to hear your voice.”  
 She blushes for no one, and he quickly avoids the silence as to not embarrass her.  
 “So why are you freaking out? What’s going on?”  
 “I don’t know. I just feel like I’m kidding myself with vet school.”  
 There’s a pause in the conversation.  
 “Before you left Nice, you told me the reason why you wanted to become a vet. Do you remember what you told me?”  
 “Yeah because I love anima…” she starts to say.  
 He interrupts her gently and without malice, “Yeah you said that, but what I was hoping you’d say is that you felt there was something out there bigger for you and that you were ready to find it.”  
 “I guess…” Chloe places her hands in her lap and rubs one thumb over the other.  
 “Chloe, you came up with this whole grand plan for yourself and you’re not giving yourself any credit for what you’ve accomplished so far. You think you’re lost, but you aren’t. I’m not saying that you won’t mess up a few times here and there, but you just have to remember, you’re going through all this for good reasons.”  
 There’s another pause in the conversation as Chloe smiles to her hands.  
 “Thanks Chicago.”  
 She can almost feel his eyes on her, “I didn’t do anything. Thank Chloe. It was her idea.”  
 She laughs from her eyes, “Thanks Chloe.”

* * *

 On some days she could still get away with studying on the Mall as long as she wears her large pine sweater and brings a thermos of hot white tea to keep her warm. Unfortunately, as the semester wears on, the cold weather follows closely behind; it serves as another stressful reminder that it’s almost over. It definitely hasn’t been a walk in the park, but Chloe feels comfortable with the amount of effort and hard work she has put in for the past two months. There’s always more you can do, but overworking yourself is far more damaging than accepting that you’ve done your best. This is something Chloe had to learn quickly and early on in the semester when anxiety attacks would frequent her on a daily basis.

 She’s on the second floor of the Science Library where many study groups meet to work on projects and assignments. She enjoys having other people around and the background noise surprisingly helps her keep focus as she does her own studying; sometimes she’s with a group from class, but most of the time by herself. It’s about the time of year when every library on campus starts to fill up with students who are trying to finish the semester strong or who are playing the dangerous game of catch up. Sometimes when there isn’t an open space on the second floor, she finds herself choosing to walk to another library over simply going to the third floor, the quiet floor. To Chloe, silence and loneliness is far more distracting. 

She’s reading over her lecture notes and cross-referencing them to the chapters of Physical Diagnosis that she read earlier this week. As she tries to come up with ways to remember how to evaluate heart murmurs and cardiac dysfunction, she hears a voice that causes a jolt in her own. She sits up and scans the room with confusion and excitement. How is this possible?

 “I like being in the studio in more of a producer role,” Chloe stands, in a daze, causing her chair to almost fall over, “It’s more my thing. I’m not really a singer. I was totally surprised when Adam asked me to be in the song. I said no at first.”  
 “What? You’re a great singer,” was that… Adam Levine?, “She did. She did say no.”  
 “That’s insane. This song is great! Thank you guys for stopping by to chat.” it’s a typical radio host, “For those of you that have been living under a rock, here’s Constellations.”

The songs starts to play as Chloe approaches a table occupied by a group of friends who are just trying to take a short break from studying. As they see her, they quickly plug in a set of headphones thinking that she is there to scold them, “Sorry” one of the girls apologizes.

 “No not at all,” Chloe points to headphone jack, “may I?”

The girl nods completely confused as to everything that is happening. As she unplugs the headphones, she kneels because there aren’t any chairs left, places her arms on the table and her chin on top of her hands. The group of girls silently watch Chloe as she hears the new song they love from Maroon 5 featuring some nobody they haven’t heard of before. They look at each other multiple times to try and figure out if any of them know this girl. Suddenly they are mesmerized by the grin on Chloe’s face and the glistening from her unmistakably blue eyes. They decide to forgive her for the intrusion because something is telling them that whatever caused this girl to walk up to a bunch of strangers and sit down with them to listen to a song, is completely outside her control.

 When the song ends, Chloe stands back up, apologizes to the girls, runs back to her table, and immediately texts the Bellas group chat.

 “BECA MITCHELL. Why didn’t you tell us?”  
 “Oh shit...” Cynthia Rose is the first to respond.  
 “Anybody else getting déjà vu?” Amy is next.  
 “Have you guys heard the song she did with Maroon 5?”  
 “No way!” Emily responds.  
 “LISTENING NOW,” Stacie replies after.  
 “I can’t believe she didn’t tell us.” Chloe wonders what’s taking Beca so long to respond.  
 “It’s so good!” A text from Jessica, or Ashley.  
 A knife emoji from Lilly.  
 “Are you really surprised Chloe?” Aubrey’s always the first to call Beca out on her ghosting them.  
 “Take it easy on her. She’s been really busy these past few months.”  
 “I can’t believe you’re defending her when you’re the one mad at her.”  
 Finally, a response from Beca, “I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone! Some asshole leaked the song so we had to release it immediately.”  
 “It’s beautiful!” Emily says to Beca.  
 The girls flood Beca with heart emojis and congratulations. 

 When Chloe eventually puts her phone down, she can’t seem to wipe off the grin she knows she has on her face. How could she? She is so incredibly proud of Beca and her continued achievements. She’s not surprised by Beca’s success; she always knew it was just a matter of time. A text message interrupts her train of thought.

 “What are your plans for the holidays?”  
 “I’ll probably just stay around campus. I have a lot of exams to study for so it doesn’t really make sense to leave just for a few days.”  
 “Sorry. I meant Christmas and New Year’s.”  
 “I haven’t really thought that far ahead, but I’ll probably stick around for a few days after classes end and then go back to Portland to spend Christmas with my family. The girls and I are trying to figure out how to spend New Year’s together.”  
 “Would you like to go on a date before you leave for Portland?”  
 “Is this a trick question?”  
 “Haha. No, I’ll be back in Georgia for the holidays and I’m really hoping that I can see you and take you on a proper date.”  
 “Really?! Yes, definitely yes. I can’t wait!”  
 “It’s a date.”  
 “It’s a date.”  


And just like that, everything is falling into place for Chloe Beale.

* * *

 The past few days have been pure bliss. Her first semester in vet school is finally over. Overall, she’s immensely happy, and partially surprised, with how she managed it. The only thing left is the wait for the final grades which is absolute torture. Despite the feeling of possible impending doom, she feels good about the countless hours she spent studying and the efforts she put in to make sure she stayed on top of all her coursework. Luckily, she has her date with Chicago to distract her from the wait. 

 She’s putting the final touches of makeup on; a little bit of eyeliner and mascara to highlight her best feature. She glides a light pink, but subtle lipstick across her lips. After examining her makeup in her bathroom mirror, she determines she satisfied with her work, shuts the light off, and walks into her bedroom to take one last look at her outfit. She’s wearing a deep plum sweater that loosely hugs her and passes just over the waist of her black jeans. Around her neck is a simple, but beautiful gold necklace that her mother gave her as graduation present.

 Her phone rings.  
 “Hello?”  
 “Hey Chloe. It’s Chicago.”  
 “I know it’s you,” she smiles to herself as she wraps a grey scarf around her neck before slipping on her navy peacoat, “I’ll be down in in like two minutes.”  
 “Make sure you bring a coat.”  
 “It’s December. Why wouldn’t I?” She holds her phone between her head and shoulder as she slides her brown suede boots on.  
 “I’m just checking. We’re going to be doing some walking. I just want you to be warm.”  
 “I’m coming down.”  
 “Sounds good.”  
 They both hang up as she locks up her apartment and heads downstairs.  


When she opens the lobby door, she spots him standing on the sidewalk admiring her building. Chloe begins to feel butterflies in her stomach, but it’s not from nerves. When he finally sees her, he grins, and she picks up the speed in her steps until they finally embrace. She didn’t realize just how much she missed him until she feels his arms tighten around her. Eventually they let go and inspect each other’s faces, looking for changes that distance can cause, but there are none.

 “You look good,” he says.  
 “So do you,” they can’t help but continue beaming at each other.  
 “I can’t believe you’re so close to downtown. I used to come here all the time to visit my friends.”  
 “Yeah it’s nice here, but I haven’t really had a chance to explore everything.”  
 “Great. Maybe that means I won’t take you on a boring date,” he holds his arm out for her to take and she takes it.

 They start their date by walking down Broad Street towards Dudley Park. Despite needing coats, it’s an unusually warm winter day. First arm in arm, then hand in hand, they walk along the Firefly Trail that crosses the North Oconee River. They talk about how thankful Chicago is that he can finally spend a holiday with his family, how Chloe’s finals went, how long he’d be staying, and how long she’d be staying. They take turns chatting about things that happened outside of their text messages and phone calls. Just as they finish looping the park, they get the perfect view of the sunset for their walk back towards downtown.

 Chloe gets a text message from a friend in her Physiology class, “Got a B! I can’t believe it!” She stops in her tracks and Chicago turns to her, frowning.  
 “What’s wrong?”  
 “I just,” Chloe runs her hands through her hair, “I just I totally forgot my grades should be posted now.”  
 He pauses wondering if this will be the downfall of their night, “Chloe, you can check it. I don’t mind. I can take a walk around over there to give you some space if you want.”  
 “No it’s not you. I don’t mind that you’re here. I’m just nervous.”  
 “You said you felt good about how you finished the semester right?”  
 “Yeah...”  
 “You did your best right? Worst case scenario you failed every class, but at least you know you did your best. I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m going to be equally as proud of you and you should be too.“  
 Chloe smiles before looking down at her phone to log into the UGA student portal website. There’s silence between them as Chloe navigates to her grades.  
 “I…” her hands feel numb, “I got all As.”  
 They both let out a short, but sturdy chuckle. Chloe wraps her arms around him as the relief spreads to every inch of her body, and he holds her tightly while he whispers into her ear, “Congratulations.”

 It turns into one of the best nights Chloe has had since she got here. Together, they complete their stroll, have dinner at a casual, but intimate restaurant called _The Place_ , grab dessert to share at _Cinnaholic_ , and finish up their night in front of her apartment building. She doesn’t want the night to end, nor does she want to say goodbye again.

 “I’m here for a few more days,” she says shyly, “I know Fort Benning is like three hours away, but I don’t want this to be the last time I see you for a long time.”  
 “Me neither,” he’s captivated by her.  
 “If you want, you can stay with me for a couple of days before I leave for Portland.”  
 “Really?”  
 “Yeah.”  
 “I mean I don’t really have anything with me,” he says regrettingly.  
 She laughs at this because it’s so refreshing to have someone so chivalrous and respectful.  
 “We’ll figure it out,” and with that she pulls him in for another Hollywood kiss. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, nobody freak out at me. Chicago is not THAT bad. Yes, I know, he gets in the way of our favorite couple, but it’s not his fault that he falls for Chloe. I mean, can you really blame him? I feel like it’s really easy to make him the villian, but this isn’t really a story that has one so I went the completely opposite approach. In a way, I hope I was able to convince you to somewhat like him. 
> 
> There are two main reasons why I felt like I needed to include Chicago in the story. First, and most importantly, Chloe deserves to be loved and she has earned the right to be happy after what this franchise has put her through. In Chapter 2, I included a lot of angst from Chloe’s perspective, but that didn’t come from nowhere! Imagine being in love with someone for years and not getting anything back in return; it’s horrible and exhausting. The second reason he’s in the story is because I just feel so bad for him; I don’t think he’s a bad guy and I think he could make Chloe really happy. He gets a bad rep because he’s not Beca and I don’t think that’s fair. I think this is something that a lot of people deal with in life that we don’t really draw parallels to. Like you could have a friend that is dating someone you’re not really fond of, but eventually you learn to accept and even befriend them because they make your friend happy and isn’t that what really matters?
> 
> Something that I struggled with in this chapter is getting into Chloe’s head. I relate to Beca’s character way more than I do with Chloe’s so describing what she’s thinking and feeling was kind of difficult for me. I hope I did okay, but please let me know if I went wrong somewhere. I’d like to improve for future chapters if I can. I’m starting to have separation anxiety from Beca and Chloe being apart, so I needed to add in a little tidbits to collide their paths for my own sanity. I really liked writing those few sentences where Chloe hears Beca’s voice on the radio for the first time. I hope you were able to read between the lines… It definitely helped me deal with my conflicting feelings about Chicago and Chloe.


	5. Let Go

 The bricks are worn and chipped in some spots, but it’s still a beautiful maroon. The concrete holding together the various brick dimensions is losing its glory and in some places, not even there. The shop is on the side of a larger building on a busy street in prime location; it’s almost as if the original owner decided to only sell a part of the square footage to make some extra cash. Without knowing that the shop exists, it’s easy to overlook, but the annual summer crowds have caught the attention of enough passerbys to make it a popular spot for friends and families. Even with only one wall facing the outside, the massive windows allows the sun to illuminate the entire shop for most of the day. Despite being relatively small, a wooden bench that extends the length of two sides and the huge wooden table in the center maximizes the amount of space for people to enjoy their cold brews and conversations. It’s a little more hipster than she likes, but having lived here for the past few months it would be weird for it not to be; it’s L.A. afterall.

 Beca occupies one of the four mesh metal tables outside this coffee shop that she frequents often. It’s cold enough to scare people inside, but her Seattle roots allow her to be comfortable. She’s not completely alone. A young couple is sitting at the table furthest away from her and whispering quietly as to not disturb her. She glances down at her phone on the table. Five more minutes. She’s not really sure why she’s nervous. Maybe it’s not nerves, but curiosity instead.

 It’s been awhile since she last spoke to Jesse. Their last real conversation was when they broke up years ago. Although, there was that one time that she drunk texted him because she was lonely and missed him. She does her best to block it out of her memory; ignoring how authentic her feelings were. They didn’t end their relationship on a bad note, but it wasn’t great either. The distance almost made them resent each other, but it also grew their appreciation for one another when they visited or when they took time out of their other lives to talk on the phone or computer for hours.

 After Jesse convinced her that it was time to go their separate ways, everything just stopped. Like most relationship problems, it confused her to no end. She spent many nights wondering with Amy or Chloe how Jesse and Beca let this happen. How do two people who have known each other that long, were friends before anything else, and loved each other unconditionally, immediately stop all forms of communication as if it were never there to begin with? She gave him the space he requested despite how much she missed the movie references she didn’t always get or the encouragement he provided when she had doubts. There were many times she started a text message or almost hit the call button, but erased it or pushed the home button instead. In true Beca fashion, she wanted to, but didn’t.

 Even lost in thought, she spots Jesse walking past the alleyway leading to the coffee shop. She chuckles to herself as she watches him walk backwards while glancing down at his phone and then at the front of the coffee shop’s large landlord.

 “Beca! Hey!” Jesse’s excitement is immediate upon seeing her after all these years.  
 She rises from her chair to greet him as he quickly makes his way down the alley towards her. They embrace and hold each other longer than friends normally would.  
 “Hey Jesse,” she sticks her hands in her back pockets for a moment before the two of them sit down.  
 “Holy crap, it’s been forever. I gotta say I wasn’t expecting a text message from THE Beca Mitchell.”  
 She rolls her eyes, “Yeah, well… it only took like one, or is it two,-ish years.”  
 “Well I’m glad you did! It shows character growth.”  
 “I wouldn’t call it that, but sure whatever you say.”  
 “I’m going to grab a coffee, but when I get back, I want to hear everything. Like everything. Don’t leave anything out.”

 Beca watches as Jesse disappears into the shop. When he gets back to the table, they start on an hour long journey back in time. They mainly focus on the easiest topic: their careers. He listens intently as she tells him about the USO tour, moving to L.A. for her job, what it’s like to work at a big label, and how she struggled in the beginning because no one, including herself, trusted her yet. He nods and agrees with her when she talks about how the music industry is both a blessing and a curse. She recounts all that musicians she’s been able to work with so far and tells him the good and bad stories. The smiles from both their faces never leave as she proves just how much she loves producing music.

 It isn’t until he goes back inside the shop to get two cups of water that she realizes she hasn’t given him the chance to tell her about his own success. For someone who doesn’t even like small talk, Beca sure does know how to hold a long conversation, especially when it’s about music. One of the biggest things that they have in common is the level of commitment and dedication that they have for their passions. Maybe it’s the reason that they get along and understand each other so well. She could always depend on him to be able to relate to the things she went through to chase her dreams. Sometimes she finds herself wondering if she was able to fulfill the same need for him.

 When he returns, she immediately asks him about his career in the movie scoring business. She listens just as intently as he did for her; not because she has to, but because she wants to. She remembers the first time she saw his name roll across her TV screen. While she doesn’t really watch a lot of movies, she does sometimes like to have one playing for the background noise and the company. After seeing his name, she spent the next few hours Googling him. Her Netflix list reached an all time high that night.

 “So… enough about work. How’s everything else? How are you doing on a Beca level? How are the Bellas?”  
 Beca diverts her eyes from Jesse and stares at her hands.  
 “I’m fine. Just focusing on music. It’s been keeping me pretty busy.”  
 “Yeah no kidding. Same with me. We’ve done pretty good if you ask me. I’m proud of us.”  
 Beca nods in agreement.  
 “Well what about the Bellas? Everyone doing okay?”  
 “Yeah you know, good. I’m actually seeing them in a few months.”  
 “Oh awesome. That’s cool that you guys still meet up to hang out. I’ve stayed in touch with some of the Trebles, but I haven’t seen most of them since college.”  
 “How’s… um… shoot.”  
 He laughs, “Sara. We’re good. It’s good. She likes my movie references. Doesn’t mind my acappella tendencies of bursting out into song. She even sometimes does it with me so it’s pretty great.”  
 “I’m happy for you,” Beca’s able to hold his eye contact as she says this.

 She realizes for the first time that she is genuinely really happy that Jesse has everything he wants and deserves. In this moment, she’s glad she was able to find the courage to reach out to him and that he actually wanted to reconnect.

 “There’s something I want to talk to you about.”  
 Her pulse increases even though she knew this subject was bound to make it into their conversation.  
 “Okay…”  
 “Can I be honest with you?”  
 She smiles because she can't ever think of a time where he wasn’t honest with her. It doesn’t matter how long it’s been since they last talked or who broke up with who; she still trusts him.  
 “I never thought you would come to L.A.,” he pauses while never taking his eyes off her.  
 “Why not?”  
 “I mean, first of all, there’s more juicers than coffee shops. Like how long did it take before you found this place?”  
 They laugh together and it feels comfortable and familiar. But after their laughs fade, he doesn’t say anything immediately and studies her instead. He’s contemplating how to say what he wants to say.  
 “I mean I know you talked about it all the time. How it was your dream to come here to make music, but you sounded so happy in New York.”  
 “Look Jesse…” she shifts in her seat.  
 “Relax. I’m not bringing it up to make you uncomfortable about us breaking up. I’m actually trying to do the opposite. I thought that your dream changed. That you realized you didn’t have to be in L.A. to do what you wanted to do. That there were plenty of opportunities in New York. I mean it sucked for me, but it was good for you.”  
 “I was actually pretty miserable. BFD was the worst. I mean there are plenty of opportunities in New York, but you know how I am. I hate doing new things. Actually, Khald’s label initially offered me a job in their New York office.”  
 “So what happened? What brought you here?”  
 “I don’t know,” Beca diverts her eyes from him and watches a group of friends greeting each other for lunch at the restaurant across the street, “There wasn’t really anything left in New York. After the USO Tour, all of us kind of just went our separate ways to do our own thing so I decided to come to L.A.”  
 He smirks, “So you came to L.A. because you didn’t want to be the only one left in New York?”  
 “Maybe? I don’t know. Not really. Stacie is still in Jersey and Lilly is in the city when she’s not touring.”  
 He continues to watch her, but doesn’t say anything.

 Before this moment, it never occured to Beca to consider the real reason why she left New York. Jesse is right; a New York lifestyle matches her personality much more so than L.A. She received the same amazing opportunity regardless of what coast she was on. Why L.A.? L.A. doesn’t actually have anything that New York doesn’t also have from a career perspective. Musicians and producers are always willing to travel to work with each other so location doesn’t really matter. What made her lie to Chloe on the night she performed by herself for the first time?

 When Jesse notices that he’s starting to lose Beca to her thoughts, he calmly reels her back in.  
 “I was actually going somewhere with this. I just wanted to say thanks,” from the face she is making he can tell she doesn’t know what he’s talking about, “for letting me go. When I told you that I thought we should break up and that the whole long distance thing wasn’t working, you didn’t fight it.”  
 “Jesse…”  
 “Please, wait. I need to say this Beca. I really don’t mean any of this in a bad way so just let me finish,” he pauses for a moment before continuing, “For the entire time I was in L.A. alone, I didn’t really know what to do. I was just waiting for the moment you would finally come and join me so that I could finally be happy. I got my dream job and everything that was happening in my life was so good and positive, but I wouldn’t let myself enjoy it. I felt guilty for being happy without you because I loved you and you were, and still are, important to me. I just want to be clear. It’s not your fault at all and I don’t blame you for a second. I’m just… I’m just glad that you let me go. If you would have called me the next day and told me you wanted to find a way to make our relationship work then I probably would have agreed and we would have continued doing whatever we were doing.”  
 Jesse looks at their surroundings with a frown, frustrated that he doesn’t think he’s getting his point across.  
“I feel like the phrase ‘letting go’ has a bad connotation. What I mean is that I know you let me go because you also loved me and not necessarily because you wanted to.”  
 He locks eyes with hers and smiles.  
 “Unless of course you DID want to...”  
 She’s quick to respond, “No, I didn’t.”

* * *

 It’s been a few months since Beca and Jesse met up for coffee. She’s incredibly grateful that they decided not to make it a one time occurance. She didn’t realize how being so busy with music has helped keep her loneliness at bay. She even had the chance to finally meet Sara and it wasn’t as weird as she thought it would be. With the warmer weather, they’ll have to fight the growing crowds at the coffee shop and actually make reservations at restaurants, but it is worth it for each other’s company. Although she doesn’t like to admit it, she’s thankful that they invited her into their group of friends.

 While having friends in L.A. is more than she could have ever hoped for, Beca can’t help but yearn for her old ones. The last time the Bellas spent time together was nearly nine months ago. While they texted each other on a daily basis, it’s definitely not the same as being with each other in person. With summer right around the corner, the girls planned a long weekend gathering at Stacie’s house in Jersey. Beca is just finishing up her lunch and checking into her flight when Theo knocks on her office’s door frame. As soon as he steps in, he immediately begins pacing between the ends of Beca’s office, glancing at her every now and then.

 “Dude. You’re giving me a headache.”  
 He rubs his forehead with his finger as if smoothing away the forming wrinkles.  
 “Look I’ve got to tell you something,” he says as he sits down in the chair on the opposite side of Beca’s desk.  
 “Okay…” her eyes follow the dust being ruffled by Theo’s movements.  
 “I’m your friend right?”  
 “Okay now you’re freaking me out.”  
 “It’s all good,” he leans forward and intwines his fingers between his knees, “It’s definitely good.”  
 She sits up in her chair.  
 “The label,” he pauses, “The label wants you to put out your own record.”  
 “What?” Beca holds her breath.  
 “Yeah it’s great! It’s amazing. You deserve it.”  
 “Holy shit.”  
 “That’s not all.”

 She wonders if Theo should have started with the other piece of news he has. How could he think that anything he talks about now could compare to what he just told her? Beca takes this moment to lean back into her chair. It’s a false impression of what she’s actually feeling internally. She throws her head back for a moment because that’s the only way the oxygen is getting in. She thought it would have taken longer than this for the label to approach her about starting her own album again. She turned down the initial offer when she first took this job because she wanted to focus on honing her skills in music production before jumping into creating and writing music. The past few months have been demanding, but rewarding; her recent successes gave her more options than she could handle. Not only is she exceeding the label’s expectations, but for the first time in her life, she’s exceeding her own.

 “Do you remember Jack Strand? We met him a couple of months back.”  
 “Maybe?”  
 “He’s that singer-songwriter from Colorado. He had that guitar with the goat sticker on it.”  
 Nothing.  
 “Well, he wants to work with you on his new record. He’s a super talented guy. He writes amazing songs. His sound isn’t typically what you work with, but it’s still good and it would be a challenge and something different.”  
 As he sees Beca’s facial reaction, he’s quick to respond.  
 “Look, I know. It’s crazy. If the situation was flipped around, I probably would make the same face. But this guy Beca. There’s something about him that I have a really good feeling about. He could be the next Ed Sheeran.”  
 “Wait, so you’re telling me that I should give up making my own album to help someone else with theirs?”  
 “You worked your ass off to get here Beca. I don’t think the label has the right to tell you what you what to do. I don’t think I have the right to tell you what to do. It’s your choice.”  
 Beca continues staring at wall.  
 “You should do what you want to do. So… what do you want to do?”  
 Her eyes are darting back and forth as she shrugs, “I don’t… I don’t know?”  
 Theo watches every movement, “Look, why don’t you take a few days to think about it? Aren’t you going to New York this weekend to meet up with the girls? Talk to them and see what they think. I’ll tell them I haven’t had a chance to talk to you yet, yeah? It’ll give you some time to think.”  
 “Uh… okay?”  
 “Look him up on Spotify. Listen to the EPs. Maybe you’ll hear the potential too. Just think about it alright?”  
 He gets up from the chair and walks towards the door.  
 “Oh and I forgot to mention. He’s kind of particular about where he records music so you’re going to have to leave L.A. and spend a few months with him.”  
 She scoffs lightly, “And where does he want me to go?”  
 “Someplace called Giske."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  And just like that, we’re halfway there! I just wanted to take a moment and thank you for sticking around. I appreciate your patience as I took my yearly personal break and headed to the mountains for a few weeks. It’s been such a great experience so far and all of you are so supportive of my creative journey. Thank you so much for reading my story and for expressing your excitement to see where it goes.
> 
>  Even before I actually began shipping Beca and Chloe, I never thought Beca and Jesse would end up together in the end. I do think that their relationship is essential in showing a different side to Beca’s character which is probably why I still feel like the franchise stripped us from closure on their relationship. I hope you found this chapter bittersweet from that perspective and that it provided you some of that closure. This chapter is something that I REALLY had to think through and work into the story as perfectly as I could. It’s one of the many pivotal points in the story because it helps explain to the reader why I needed and wanted to separate Beca and Chloe. I hope you were able to see the parallels between Beca’s relationships with Jesse and Chloe. I wanted you to see the similarities and the differences, and be curious as to how those differences will change the outcome. 
> 
>  Also... I’ve finally revealed the place! Giske. If you’ve never heard of it, you’ll find out more about it in later chapters. If you have heard of it, please leave a note! I’d love to hear your thoughts and experiences with this beautiful place. In future author notes, I will explain why I chose this place and why it’s important to me, but for now, a little mystery won’t hurt anyone.


End file.
